Pasta and Chickpea Soup

Pasta e ceci

This is a very easy yet comforting dish, perfect for the colder months. The ingredients are simple and this can be on your table in 20 minutes. Use a small type of pasta like tubettini rigati like I have, or use up any left over dried pasta that you have in the cupboard. It's vegetarian so great for all guests. It's a creamy pasta dish, but without the cream! Ingredients for 4 people:

1. 400 g Tin of chickpeas - drained

2. 250 of small pasta or whatever you have

3. 1.5 litres hot vegetable stock

4. Clove garlic

5. Sprig of fresh (or teaspoonful of dried if you don't have fresh) rosemary

6. EV Olive oil

7. pinch salt

Method:

1. Make the stock and set a side.

2. Put oil, garlic and rosemary in a large pan.

3. Cook for a few minutes on medium heat. Remove the garlic and sprig of rosemary. If a few leaves remain, that's ok!

4. Add the drained chickpeas and stir.

5. Now add the stock and bring back to the boil.

6. Using a ladle or large spoon, remove a large spoonful of the chickpeas and stock. Put in a jug and blend using a hand blender. Set a side.

7. Add the pasta to the pan and keep stirring for a few minutes to stop it sticking together.

8. Add the blended chickpeas back to the soup in the pan and continue cooking until pasta is al dente. Blending some of the chickpeas helps to make it creamy.

9. Season with a little salt to taste.

10. Serve in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil.